I had already sent an ordnance and dispatched Daumuel and
"
"Understood."
Hartmut gave a slight nod and left the room. As Clarissa's fiancé and someone who had recently been feeding information to my adoptive father, he was able to arrange an audience easily. If an ordnance proved insufficient, he would head to the castle in person.
Once my tasks were done, I would compose myself and resume the discussion with the merchants. I needed to finish our planned agenda. As I straightened up, I caught the eye of the Guild Master, who was searching for the right words while glancing around at the attendants in discomfort.
"Lady
Some of the attendants were about to nod in agreement, but I shook my head firmly.
"No. Let's finish everything we had planned to discuss today. With the merchants coming in summer, and the second branch in
"We appreciate your consideration, but..."
A hesitant voice could be heard—something about a
"Gustaf makes a fair point, Lady Rozemyne. If a noble from Dunkelfelger has arrived, that should take priority over merchants. The merchants can be gathered again later."
"No. The Groschel reforms lack sufficient preparation time. If we want them to succeed, we cannot steal the precious time of those who need to do the actual preparation. If the Groschel reforms fail, it won't be the merchants with shops in the lower town who suffer—it will be the Aub and the Gerhard Groschel."
"Lady Rozemyne is not doing the merchants a favor. The Groschel reforms are a project led by the Aub, and my presence or Lady Rozemyne's attendance is required at the discussions. She is saying that, given the current state of Ehrenfest, we cannot coordinate our schedules."
Brunhilde was navigating the reforms in Groschel as a mediator between the Gerhard and the Aub, helping the Aub's wife with her administrative duties alongside
"To the best of my knowledge, Lady Rozemyne has consecutive religious ceremonies, and at the Lord's Conference she is required to perform the Star Binding ceremony by royal decree. By the time those are finished, the merchants from other territories will be arriving. This is not a discussion that should be halted for upper-class nobles from other territories who show up without prior notice."
Brunhilde argued that the priority should not be other territories' nobles but rather the lord's family, and the attendants finally showed expressions of understanding. I too needed to learn the kind of persuasive language that would satisfy nobles, but I wanted them to understand that if the merchants didn't act, it would be the Aub and the Gerhard Groschel who suffered the consequences.
"I have dispatched my attendants to handle the Dunkelfelger noble, so that should be fine. Furthermore, I have already contacted the Aub Ehrenfest. I expect some instructions will come through."
The soldiers at the gate who had to deal with Clarissa were to be pitied, but I had sent two people who could interact with commoners without putting on airs, so once they arrived, things should settle down.
"Lady Rozemyne speaks truly. They are the ones who took unplanned action, so making them wait is perfectly reasonable. There is no need for Lady Rozemyne, a Lord Candidate, to change her schedule for upper-class nobles from other territories. Am I not correct?"
Brunhilde smiled sweetly and won the attendants' agreement. Splendid. It was difficult for me to win over nobles like that.
"I have no intention of changing the schedule, though I do want to finish early. Gustaf, please tell me the specific improvement proposals regarding the issues raised last autumn."
Last autumn there had been issues raised, and now in spring the merchants had come up with improvements. It was reassuring to see concrete progress being made every year. I also asked about the merchants' wishes, last year's sales figures, and this year's targets. Frieda seemed happy to have met her targets every year, and her enthusiasm for the summer was admirable.
"Ah, yes. Also, we have received a message from the Plantan Company."
"What is it?"
"A few days ago, I received a directive from the Aub, on behalf of the collective will of Ehrenfest's nobility. In accordance with that directive, I am hereby granting permission to sell the educational toys—picture books from the Holy Book, karuta, and playing cards—that were previously limited to children within Ehrenfest to merchants from other territories."
I didn't want to climb any higher in the rankings. To reconcile the adults' collective desire with the students' motivation, I had come up with an idea: if you want to blend in with other territories in terms of grades and rankings, then simply raise everyone else's level. If everyone else averages 70 points while you keep scoring 95 to 100, you stand out—but if everyone scores 95 to 100, you no longer stand out. That way, the efforts of Ehrenfest's children wouldn't be wasted.
...You don't have to lower yourself. Just raise everyone else up. Heh heh heh.
"If sold the right way, the profits could be enormous."
"I am well aware of that. I calculated as much when I purchased the rights from you, Lady Rozemyne."
Benno wore the grin of a carnivore who had already set his sights on profits—earn, earn, earn—and I grinned right back at him.
After finalizing various arrangements and concluding the discussion with the merchants, Brunhilde and the others returned to the castle, and I went back to the High Priest's chambers.
"Lady Rozemyne, there is a message from the Chief Priest."
According to Monica, who had been watching the room in my absence, Hartmut had apparently gone to the castle. He needed to report to the Aub, and we wanted to know the reason why the bride had come without waiting at the border gate. His parents also needed to discuss Clarissa's handling, and without the Aub's written permission, we couldn't let Clarissa in even if we went to the gate.
"Then, shall we wait for Hartmut to return? I don't have the permission to take Clarissa, so going to the gate myself would only confuse the soldiers."
I sent an ordnance to Hartmut, telling him the meeting was finished and asking him to stop by the
"I am heading there now together with my parents."
"I apologize for the trouble, Lady Rozemyne."
It was Hartmut's parents who apologized for the behavior of Clarissa, who had arrived as Hartmut's fiancée. In my mind, I was the one dragging them into this, since Clarissa had come aiming to become my attendant.
"Hartmut, what did my adoptive father say?"
"When I sent the ordnance, the Aub was not yet aware of Clarissa's arrival. A knight who had received a magical tool message from a soldier at the West Gate went to investigate and reported back—it seems it was just moments before, and then ordnances started flying in succession."
It apparently started with finding the official who had granted Clarissa passage through the border gate, then escalated into inquiries with Dunkelfelger and Frebelstag, causing considerable trouble.
"According to a Frebelstag knight, Clarissa appeared at the border gate between Frebelstag and the former Berkeshstock with only a single escort knight."
The Aub Dunkelfelger had issued her a marriage permit, but an upper-class noble bride appearing at a border gate with only one escort knight was unheard of. Normally, the bride's side would arrive in a carriage with her parents and a mountain of dowry goods.
Suspicious, the Frebelstag knight had apparently contacted Dunkelfelger to verify whether an upper-class noble named Clarissa truly existed in Dunkelfelger and whether she had been granted permission to marry a noble from Ehrenfest.
Perhaps the Frebelstag knights' manner of inquiry had been poor, or perhaps the Dunkelfelger officials, who hadn't been informed of Clarissa's elopement, had responded carelessly. The reply was: "Clarissa does indeed exist, and she has been granted permission to marry Hartmut, an upper-class noble of Ehrenfest."
Once Dunkelfelger had been confirmed and her identity verified with the medallion carried during marriage transit, there was no reason to detain a bride merely passing through to another territory. Frebelstag granted her passage through the border gate.
However, because the circumstances were so suspicious, Frebelstag had assigned a knight to shadow her under the pretext of providing an escort. But Clarissa and her escort knight had galloped straight to the border gate between Frebelstag and Ehrenfest on their riding beasts without so much as a glance sideways. The knight who had given chase at full speed to avoid being shaken off reportedly collapsed when he relayed at the border gate that Dunkelfelger had confirmed everything.
Being told it was confirmed did nothing to dispel the suspicion. After all, the groom's party that was supposed to be waiting on the other side of the border gate wasn't there. Not just Frebelstag—even the Ehrenfest knights found the pair suspicious, since Clarissa and her escort knight, both drinking magic power recovery potions, looked like nothing but suspicious persons.
"There was also an inquiry at the Ehrenfest castle. They wanted to know whether Clarissa from Dunkelfelger truly had permission to marry into Ehrenfest, and whether it was certain despite no escort having arrived."
The official who received that question had been dragged into emergency communications between the two Aubs repeatedly, so he responded immediately. He confirmed that he had received word of her departure from Aub Dunkelfelger.
Unless it was truly urgent, reports were typically consolidated. The inquiry about whether Clarissa from Dunkelfelger had marriage permission and whether no escort had arrived was not urgent from that official's perspective. He already knew that Hartmut and his parents had been informed of Clarissa's departure the previous night, so it was natural that no escort had arrived yet.
"Since communication between the Aubs had been established, the border gate knights permitted Clarissa to pass. However, without the groom's side bringing written permission from the Aub to receive her, nobles from other territories cannot enter the city. That is why she was stopped at the West Gate."
...Everyone was suspicious of her, and yet Clarissa had passed through anyway. In a way, that was impressive.
While I was admiring the wrong thing,
"Since both Aubs gave their permission and she has come, there is nothing we can do. Turning her away would be equivalent to dissolving the engagement, and it would be a dishonor for everyone involved. The most prudent course is to accept that she came out of worry and devotion for Lady Rozemyne and Hartmut, and frame it as Ehrenfest welcoming her."
The conclusion reflected the extensive deliberations of both my adoptive father and adoptive mother, so I simply nodded. The one who would decide whether to accept Clarissa was Leberecht, as the head of the household.
"Having decided to accept her, we must steel ourselves. What matters now is how we handle Clarissa going forward. At the castle, we concluded that Clarissa would be treated as a fiancée, she would reside in our household, and
Since Hartmut, as the fiancé, frequently went to the Temple, it had been decided that Ottilie, who reliably went to the castle, would accompany Clarissa.
"We cannot send a young lady who has come from another territory off to the Temple. Surely Lady Rozemyne understands this as well."
"I understand. I have no intention of letting Clarissa into the Temple either. I intend to have her work as an attendant at the castle. The Aub and his wife must be short-handed, correct? Leberecht, would it be all right if I asked you to oversee the education of
Since Leberecht was the Aub's wife's attendant, I asked him to handle both their education. If all my attendants were at the Temple, Clarissa would undoubtedly insist on going there by force.
"During the
Philine primarily handled Temple duties, so gaining some experience with the castle's work wouldn't be a bad thing. While doing various tasks at the castle, I also hoped she might discover some motivated young talent.
"But Clarissa might cause a scene if she can't see you at the Temple, Lady Rozemyne..."
At Hartmut's words, I thought for a moment. If I kept visiting the castle to check on Clarissa, I wouldn't be able to project the image of sequestering myself in the Temple to focus on becoming the next Aub.
"Then let's schedule a day roughly once every three days where I listen to reports in my library."
...That way I can also protect my reading time.
After finalizing plans for the future, I sent an advance message via ordnance and then headed to the West Gate on my riding beast. On what might have been the watchtower above the West Gate—or perhaps the rooftop—the area had been expanded, and I could see Angelica, Daumuel, Clarissa and her escort, along with numerous soldiers waiting.
...Father!?
Spotting my father among them, I felt a surge of joy and had to tighten my expression as it began to soften. I dismounted from my riding beast, stopped Clarissa who was about to rush over with one hand raised, tapped my chest twice, and then looked at the soldiers lined up in salute, one by one.
"I commend you all for well stopping a noble from another territory without a permit. Your sense of duty is exemplary. As a member of the lord's family, I am very proud."
"The emergency communication arrived just as all the gate captains were gathered in the capital for a meeting about this spring's personnel transfers—that is all. If her arrival had been any later, it would have been my responsibility."
My father said this while glancing at the other gate captains. He was certainly hoping they would see that there was no punishment or grievance coming from the nobility. The current West Gate captain might look like he was standing at attention, but he was probably clutching his stomach rather than his chest.
I received Clarissa's permit from Hartmut and handed it to the West Gate captain.
"Here is the Aub's written permission."
"There is no mistake. This is Lady Clarissa's permit."
Clarissa was granted entry to the city. I took two large silver coins from my leather pouch and pressed them into the West Gate captain's hand.
"There is no reason to question the soldiers who worked hard to protect the city. Rather, they deserve a reward. It isn't much, but please use this to reward the soldiers who did their best. The Aub is aware of everyone's efforts."
I reassured the captain and rewarded the soldiers, then there was no need for the noble's prolonged presence, which only caused tension simply by existing. I fixed my expression sternly and looked at Clarissa. The energetic braids that used to bounce on her back were gone; her hair was now gathered into a single braid wrapped around the back of her head. She had the appearance of an adult, but her actions were anything but.
"Let's go, Clarissa. We need to discuss what happens from here."
I had no intention of taking Clarissa into the Temple, so I headed to the library instead. Razefam greeted me and brewed tea. This had been Ferdinand's quarters, and I thought it was the perfect place to scold Clarissa just as Ferdinand would.
"Now, let me hear your explanation. Why did you come?"
"Because I believed I could be of use to Lady Rozemyne."
Clarissa's expression stiffened at the clearly unwelcome atmosphere. The escort knight behind her wore an "I told you so" look, and it was clear that no matter how many times he had tried to stop her, Clarissa had refused to listen, and as an escort he had had no choice but to follow.
"Weren't you supposed to move during the Lord's Conference?"
"I couldn't wait that long. Also, Aub Dunkelfelger said that going sooner would allow me to be of more use..."
"And so, without any communication to our side, having left behind the carriage and your attendants, without coordinating to meet your parents, carrying only the barest essentials, you flew here on a riding beast?"
When laid out like that, the sheer recklessness of it was staggering. Clarissa, who had been running on pure momentum, seemed to grasp just how bad it was once I enumerated everything. Her shoulders drooped and she hung her head.
"I am truly sorry. People have always told me that when I become fixated on something, I lose sight of everything around me, and this time as well, I truly couldn't see it."
...Ugh. That hit far too close to home.
Having been told much the same thing by those around me, I found it difficult to scold Clarissa and faltered. Ottilie, who seemed to sense this, spoke up.
"Clarissa, making unilateral changes to plans without notice is unacceptable. You must always communicate."
Clarissa's flight from Dunkelfelger had forced the groom's side to send an escort to the border gate. If the carriage had arrived on schedule, it would have coincided with the dedication ritual, when they needed to tour the directly controlled territories.
"Hartmut had been racking his brain over how to coordinate everything. If Hartmut, as the Chief Priest, couldn't attend the dedication ritual, it would have placed a burden on Lady Rozemyne. Rather than helping, you would have been an obstacle."
Clarissa's face changed color at Ottilie's words. For an ordinary noble, once the winter social season ended, there were no major events until the Star Binding—but the Temple's busy religious calendar hadn't occurred to her.
"When I received word today that you had arrived at the West Gate, the lord's family was in the middle of a meeting with merchants. Keeping Clarissa waiting at the gate allowed the meeting to continue, but I had to leave midway due to the Aub's inquiry and the need to confirm the situation. I was unable to perform my duties as Lady Rozemyne's attendant. Do you understand how painful that was?"
At Hartmut's words, Clarissa turned pale and nodded repeatedly, saying, "I feel it in my very bones." Leberecht prefaced his remarks by saying, "I don't fully understand what the two of them are connecting over," before turning to face Clarissa.
"It is a fact that Clarissa caused trouble for many people. Are you aware of that? At the Frebelstag border gate, she startled the knights, requiring multiple communications and identity verifications—a bride like that simply does not exist. In addition to the knights' reports, she even burdened the Aub himself with handling the matter."
"The Aub...?"
"Clarissa's departure from Dunkelfelger was communicated to us by Aub Dunkelfelger through inter-Aub emergency communications. We will need to apologize to various parties for some time."
"I am truly sorry."
As Clarissa, now diminished after being scolded by everyone, stood before him, Leberecht told her that Ehrenfest would accept her rather than sending her back to Dunkelfelger. And then, as had been discussed beforehand, he explained that she would live at Hartmut's family home as his fiancée, commute to the castle together with Ottilie, and work as an attendant alongside Philine under his supervision.
"I wish to enter the Temple. I want to be of use to Lady Rozemyne."
"Rejected. What I need is a capable upper-territory attendant who can elevate the work of Ehrenfest's existing officials—not a Blue Shrine Maiden."
My immediate rejection left Clarissa staring in shock. She looked at Hartmut, saying, "I had heard the Temple was short-handed."
"No matter how short-handed we may be, and considering the reputation of temples in other territories, I have absolutely no intention of making Clarissa a Blue Shrine Maiden."
If the daughter who had been sent as a fiancée were to become a Blue Shrine Maiden—someone not permitted to marry—I could only imagine how Clarissa's parents would feel. Moreover, taking in an upper-class daughter of marriageable age from another territory as a fiancée and putting her in the Temple would surely spark more bad rumors about Aub Ehrenfest.
"What would Hartmut's parents be said by the world? Clarissa's entry into the Temple would benefit no one except Clarissa. And besides..."
I paused there for a moment. Then I looked alternately between Clarissa and her escort knight.
"Lord Ferdinand, who is currently staying in
It was the escort knight whose face changed at my words. He knew that Ferdinand was not being treated as a proper fiancée in Ahrensbach, and his expression turned to one of disbelief—as if to say, "Could it really be...?"
"I am furious that Lord Ferdinand is being conscripted for religious ceremonies, and Aub Ehrenfest is preparing to lodge a formal protest at the Lord's Conference. At a time like this, there is no way we can let Clarissa enter the Temple."
"I wouldn't be under orders—I would be volunteering of my own free will..."
Clarissa's blue eyes still gazed at me with a refusal to give up, but I turned her down flatly.
"An outsider from another territory wouldn't understand the finer details. Whether it's an order or a volunteer, entering and leaving the Temple amounts to the same thing. If people believe that Ehrenfest is simply making Clarissa say that, no amount of denial will help. I know this from experience at the Royal Academy's tea parties."
The memory of my futile attempts to deny the bad rumors about my adoptive father was still fresh. Clarissa, too, knew well the world of noble tea parties and the rumors that circulated there. She bit her lip and looked down.
"I... I wanted to be of use to Lady Rozemyne."
"That feeling truly makes me happy. Even Lord Ferdinand acknowledged the quality of your research. I am certain you are a highly capable attendant. Please work as my attendant at the castle alongside Philine."
Clarissa stared at me intently for a moment, then stood, moved forward, and knelt before me.
"I shall do as you command. It was to be of use to Lady Rozemyne that I came to Ehrenfest."
"Thank you. I will forbid your entry into the Temple, but I will make opportunities for us to meet. Unless I am away for an extended period due to religious ceremonies or other duties, let's have a report session here once every three days. I'll prepare delicious snacks as well."
"Yes!"
And so Clarissa, who had come barreling into Ehrenfest, was temporarily taken under the care of Hartmut and his family.
"...By the way, when will Clarissa's luggage arrive?"
No one could answer Ottilie's murmur.
The rampaging Clarissa had arrived in Ehrenfest.
But Clarissa was forbidden from entering the Temple.
Because no one could complain about how Ahrensbach was treating Ferdinand.
For the Lord's Conference, my adoptive father and adoptive mother had acquired two excellent attendants: Clarissa and Philine.
Next up was the dedication ritual.